Here's a message for Charlie: We need you.

Last Tuesday, Michael Masi left F1's governing body, the FIA, to spend more time with his family in Australia and pursue other goals. Regardless of the side that you fell in Abu Dhabi 2021, you will probably have an opinion on Masi, and it will likely be strong. While I don't agree with every decision he made, I feel for Michael as the one who had to fill Charlie Whiting's impossibly large shoes.

Charlie died suddenly on the eve of the 2019 Formula One season. While those who knew him felt a considerable gap emerge in their lives, his untimely passing left an equally large void within the FIA - and it still hasn't recovered.

Whiting's transparency and respect defined him as a man and a race director. Two crucial qualities as the referee of a competitive, complex, and constantly changing sport.

During the USA Grand Prix 2017, Max Verstappen was given a penalty immediately after the race for cutting a corner, which attracted much controversy. On the Thursday following the race, Charlie held a press conference in which he talked the world's media through decision-making alongside different camera angles. He explained the wording of the rules, and the case was closed as everyone had an answer.

“This clarity stopped controversy lingering.”

This clarity stopped controversy lingering.

The respect between Charlie, the drivers and the teams was clear for all to see. On YouTube, you can see some behind-the-scenes of drivers' briefings in which Charlie's strong relationship with racing drivers is evident.

These are qualities lacking within the current FIA format. Last week, at the Austrian Grand Prix, Max Verstappen said something interesting.

"I don't think it necessarily depends on (having) a single race director. I think it's more about working with the drivers rather than standing your ground and being stubborn".

Even Verstappen, who seems to benefit most from the opacity of the FIA as a driver who pushes the rules beyond the limit more than most, believes that the FAA requires changes.

I read a great article by Matt Kew on Autosport in which he compared the FIA since Abu Dhabi to the Conservative party in the UK since party gate. The solution seems to be bringing a new face rather than changing the underlying issues.

The new face of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem (MBS), became the president seven months ago. Since then, he seems to have thrown his political weight around in F1 substantially compared to his predecessor Jean Todt. But he seems to have been doing so in a weird way.

You can respect his drive to push for all rules to be followed to the letter to avoid a repeat of Abu Dhabi 2021. Yet, he seems to focus on rules that were never a pressing issue.

The whole pants and piercings malarkey of the first few races seemed and was bizarre when we have Sebastian Vettel literally walking out of drivers' briefings in frustration of racing rules such as track limits and forcing other drivers off the track still being debated.

The British Grand Prix last fortnight was one of the season's best races. However, some of the racing standards of Sergio Pérez and Max Verstappen raised questions. Between them, they were guilty of cutting corners to overtake and forcing other drivers off the track. Neither were penalised, and it left fans and drivers alike scratching their heads.

Just a week later, the Austrian Grand Prix would be an excellent time for the race director to explain why things were done to allow everyone to move on. However, neither the race director nor the stewards from Silverstone were present in Austria. While this allows for people to rest, it leads to no accountability.

“The decisions do not need to be perfect, but there needs to be consistency.”

This leaves drivers and fans in the dark as to where the line can be drawn. It's as though the drivers have to learn the rules of the sport as the weekend goes on, which is frankly ridiculous. The decisions do not need to be perfect, but there needs to be consistency.

Of course, times have changed. Formula One has become more popular, so the pressure has increased on those making key decisions during and after the race. But it is clear more than ever that F1 needs a Charlie Whiting figure to steer the ship in a direction that doesn't change weekly. This needs sorting out because people will quickly move on if nobody can get their heads around the game's rules.

The FIA said that Sebastian Vettel did not behave like a role model for walking out of the drivers' briefing, which is plainly ridiculous. Alongside Lewis Hamilton, Seb is a true champion on and off the track, genuinely looking to leave the world in a better place as a result of his platform.

There is also no nonsense with Seb, he respects others and commands respect, and he knows what he's talking about, given his current job. So perhaps the best thing that could happen to F1 is Seb joining the FIA.

“I'm putting Sebastian Vettel forward as the new FIA president.”

I don't know when he will retire, and he might not know either. But when the four-time champion does hang up his helmet, I'm putting Sebastian Vettel forward as the new FIA president.

Whether Seb’s presidency will come in time, I don't know. But I do know that the world doesn't deserve Sebastian Vettel, so while he is here, savour it. And if he can fix F1, even better.

Pants and Jewellery - a symbol of the F1-FIA split? (2 of 2)

The first part of this article was about F1's success in America. So it feels silly that one of the weekend's biggest stories was a four-time champion wearing boxers over his race suit and F1's biggest name wearing three watches to a press conference.

Since F1's governing body, the FIA, had a bit of a whoopsy at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix last year, it has changed two of the key people in the organisation - the president and the race director.

The presidential change was planned, swapping a retiring Jean Todt for a Motorsport UK backed Mohammed Ben Sulayem (MBS). The race director was less planned, swapping the controversial Michael Masi for Niels Wittich and Eduardo Freitas, the two of whom will alternate each weekend.

“The Abu Dhabi controversy is critical here”

The Abu Dhabi controversy is critical here because the F1 world, in the majority, felt that the FIA had stood by their decision to not follow its own rules and procedures.

Back in Miami, we heard that the FIA had begun enforcing the rule that disallows the wearing of jewellery or non-fireproof underwear while driving the car.

On the pants front, enforcing the rules had ruffled some feathers with key drivers, including Sebastian Vettel. We saw him ironically wearing boxers on top of his overalls at the start of Friday practice in Miami. I've just watched him holding his own on BBC's Question Time - what a difference a week makes.

“He has been given a two-race grace period for that”

The jewellery battle seems to be a bit trickier. Pierre Gasly wears a religious pendant during races, Kevin Magnessun wears his wedding ring, and Lewis Hamilton wears earrings and has a piercing in his nose. While Hamilton took out his earrings, the nose piercing remained. It seems that he needs a minor surgery to get that removed. So he has been given a two-race grace period for that.

The question is, will he book the op?

Going by the way Hamilton arrived at the drivers press conference, you wouldn't be surprised if, come Monaco, we are talking piercings again.

The seven-time world champion arrived, donning three watches, seven neckless and eight rings. You would be right if you thought Lewis was trying to make a point.

“You might argue that it seemed negotiable when F1 remained in Saudi Arabia”

It seems odd for the FIA to annoy the two most decorated drivers on the grid for a little thing like this. Yes, safety is non-negotiable. But you might argue that it seemed negotiable when F1 remained in Saudi Arabia following nearby missile strikes.

The offers from Hamilton and Magnessun to sign waivers to cover the FIA have been rejected too. So it's not for legal reasons that the FIA has this stance.

President MBS is said to be pushing hard for the ruling to be applied, with his reasoning being that those at the top should set a good example. F1 is the biggest motorsport in the world. However, other categories allow jewellery to be worn, and some of Lewis Hamilton's most iconic images have been seen him emerge from the car wearing his nose piercing.

Is it, as Sebastian Vettel suggested, personal on Lewis Hamilton? Maybe. Perhaps that explains why Lewis is so annoyed by this situation. From the exterior seems an unusual area of the sport about which to have an argument.

I prefer to assume the best in people. This means that the FIA must now be applying every rule without question so that they don't have another Abu Dhabi 2021. While F1 could have suffered heavily from the conclusion to last season, the FIA was the organisation that received most of the backlash - and it didn't help itself by being slow to respond.

“There is growing discontent and a disconnect between F1 and the FIA”

This brings me to the crux of the issue. There is growing discontent and a disconnect between F1 and the FIA.

In recent weeks, the FIA has asked F1 for a more significant sum of money to deliver more sprint race weekends in the seasons to come. Reports suggest that this didn't go down well at all. Especially as F1 provides the FIA with approximately half of its income already.

This dispute over money and sprint races seem to have spilt out into pants and piercings, creating a pattern of F1 being celebrated as a global success. At the same time, the FIA receives continued lousy press.

The issue is that they need one another. The FIA needs F1 financially and for relevance, while F1 needs referees to run the sport.

Let's not forget, as silly as it sounds, the FIA have the power to stop Lewis Hamilton from racing in Monaco if he is still wearing a piercing. That would hurt F1 as well as Hamilton and Mercedes.

The alternative to the FIA? There isn't, really. The good news is that we are not going to see a breakaway series because teams would be mad to leave F1 just as it's becoming profitable. In fact, heavyweights Andretti Racing are looking to join the party, so the dynamic may yet swing a different direction.

Watch this space, and leave the space below to let me know what you think.

He's back! - How somebody posting a photo from the Grand Canyon nearly broke the internet

If you hadn't heard, the Abu Dhabi Grand at the end of last year's enthralling F1 season was a little bit controversial. Lewis Hamilton was dominant. However, Max Verstappen stole the race and the championship on the final lap thanks to some weird decisions from race control. 

Whatever your opinion - check Twitter, there are many - Lewis Hamilton was left heartbroken and "disillusioned". He had lost the championship that would elevate him to undisputed 'greatest of all time' status through no fault of his own. The other elephant in the room was that the FIA needed to ensure that never such a thing would happen again. 

Hamilton's team, Mercedes, protested the race result - a protest rejected by the FIA. Mercedes then appealed this before retracting the appeal, given that it knew the FIA would be the ones "marking its own homework," and there isn't much satisfaction in winning a championship in court. Mercedes did say, though, that the FIA needed to make changes.

The intriguing thing throughout all of this was the complete silence from Lewis Hamilton. He only spoke briefly after the race to congratulate Verstappen. He appeared in public twice to be knighted and celebrate Mercedes' team championship win. 

Silence is powerful.

The muteness accompanied by rumours of retirement has been the biggest talking point in the F1 community since then. The driver, who is arguably bigger than F1, may have been pushed away by the sport that he loves and to which he has given everything. 

But then, on Saturday evening, up pops Lewis on Instagram and Twitter, posting a photo of him turning and smiling at the camera in a desert. The caption: "I've been gone. Now I'm back!".

To say that this post caused a stir would be an understatement. It was the trending topic on Twitter, it made a Sky News bulletin, and t received more interaction than Max Verstappen's world championship celebration post. Yes, it's all a bit silly. But what does this all mean?

On the surface, it appears that Lewis Hamilton is not retiring, which is great news for Formula One, British sport and the world in general. You want the best in the world doing what they are the best at - otherwise, it feels a little bit like a waste.

Below the surface will be more intriguing. Lewis was said to have needed some assurances from the FIA before committing to another season in F1. So what deal has been agreed? 

Firstly, changes would need to be made in the FIA, as we have already said - this is a world-class sport and cannot be run by primarily ammeters. Many people call for Michael Masi, the race director, to be sacked, but I don't think that is helpful. As obtuse as he was immediately after the race in Abu Dhabi, he was put under extreme pressure and needs more support. 

Secondly, I suspect Lewis, like many, would have been calling for the laws of racing to be made clear and consistent. Last season, Max was over the limit and unpunished on multiple occasions. For drivers' safety and the fans' understanding, this needs to be addressed, and Lewis has the bargaining power to have that impact. 

Finally, he may have used his bargaining power to promote the long term goals of Lewis in the sport. F1 is elitist. Despite the 'we race as one' messages, it needs to do more for sustainability and be more accessible for competitors of all backgrounds. I wonder whether Lewis has encouraged a more effective strategy in this direction. 

Let me be clear. Lewis' silence was not simply a calculated move to change the sport. He was hurt, so taking time away from the public eye will have been extremely healthy and necessary after that draining season. The way that Lewis conducts himself and speaks this season will be fascinating. And his pursuit of title number 8, which he understandably feels should be his, will be enthralling to watch.

I am buzzing for F1 2022, and I hope you are too. Join us on AJontheLine for every twist and turn.